Automatic reel-stopping device for record-o-phones



Nov. 10 1925' 1,560,721.

H. P. OREILLY AUTOMATIC REEL STOPPING DEVICE FdR RECORD-O-PHONEQ Filed Nov. 14. 1924 7 Patented Nov. 10, 1925. v I

UNITED srAr-as PATENT I oFFlca.

HUGH IP. OREIILY, OF WASHINGTON, IDIS'JIRIC'J! (IF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR- RECOBD- O-PHONE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

AUTOMATIC REEL-STOPPING DEVICE BECOBD-O-PHO'NES.

Application filed November 14, 1924. Serial No. 750,016.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, HUGH P. ORmLLY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Washington, in the District of Columbla, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Reel-Stopping Devices for Record-O-Phones, of which the following is. a specification.

This invention relates to record-o-phones of the wire type for recording and reproducing sound,'and has for its object the provision of means to automatically stop the machine when one of the reels is almost unwound.

In brief, this device consists of tWQdlSkS, one of which is movable, and a lever actuated by the windings of the wire for moving one of thedisks in order to make and break an electrical circuit.

For a more detailed understanding of the invention, attention is now called to the drawings in. which 'a preferred embodiment is shown illustrated. In these drawings, like parts are designated by like reference char- .acters in all the views. I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a record-ophone.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is asection ure 2'. p

Figure 4 isa section on line 4 4 ure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 1 designates the base of a record-ophone, 2 the shafts, 3 and 3 the usual-pulleys, and4= and 5,the usual belts. Beneath the base is situated the motor 6. Numeral 7 represents a hub attached to the shaft 2, and 8 and 9 reels to accommodate the windings of the wire 10.

As noticed in Figure 2, adjacent the reels 8 and 9, are a pair of disks 11 and 12. The disk 12 is stationary and attached to a standard 13 and insulated from same by an insulated bushing 14. The disk 11 is movable and insulated from the disk 12 by an insulated bushing 14:. The two disks are normally urged apart by the spring 15.

As noticed in Figure 3, the disk 11 has attached thereto four contact members 16 which engage the stationary disk 12 in order to make anelectrical circuit. Numeral 17 designates insulated washers for insulating on line 3-3 of Fig of Figthetwo disks from the metallic spring 15 and numeral 18 represents an insulated bushing attached to the disk' 11 for insulat- 2 ing the lever 19 from the said disk. As

noticed in Figure 2, this lever 19 is pivoted to the hub .7 and urged upward through slots 20 and'21 in the hub and reel .by a spring 22. To prevent any revolving movement of the disk. 11 when the lever bears against same, a key 23 of insulated material t as as follows.

is provided.

The operation of this device is The wire 10 is attached to the reel 8 or 9 as shown at A in Figure 1, and the disk 11 is manually moved to the right, thereby making an electrical contact with the disk 12 and starting the motor. The reels will then revolve and when the reels 8 or 9 has sufficient number of turns thereon to-contact with the upper part of the lever 19, the lever will be pressed down as shown in full lines in Figure 2, and the contact between the two disks 11 and 12 will be'maintained. It will only be necessary to manually hold the disk 11 against the disk 12 until ,one layer of wire is on the reel, and then the lever itself will maintain thecontact.

When the revolution of the motor is re-v versed the reels 8 or 9 will start to unwind and when the windings are almost off, the

lever 19 will be released and take the position shown in dotted lines, the disk 11 will then move to the left by the action of the spring 15, and the electric contact broken between the contacts16 and the disk 12. The motor willthen stop. Numeral '24 rep resents terminals and 25 the necessary wiring.

The same automatic stopping means is applied to both reels so no matter which reel unwinds. the machine will stop before the wire on any spool is completely off and prevent the same from breaking and make the machine fool proof. 1

The structure and operation of this novel device has now been fully set forth. What I desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is: i

1. In a device of the character described in combination, a reel, means for revolving reel, the said means including a movable disk, a stationary .disk, a spring pressed lever for moving the said movable disk towards the said stationary disk, a spring for normally keeping the said disks apart and means on the said disks for making and breaking an electric current.

2. In a record-o-phone, the combination of a hub a reel, a lever ivoted on said hub, disks ad acent the said ub, one of the said disks being movable and the other stationary, the said lever-ada ted to be actuated from the under side of t e reel windings for moving the said movable disk in order to make an electric contact between the said disks.

3. In a device of the class described in combination, a hub, a reel on said hub, a lever pivoted on said hub, a spring to ur e one end of the said lever towards the peripi cry of the said hub, disks adjacent the said hub, one of, the said disks being movable and the other stationary, a spring for normally spreading the said disks apart, the said movable disk adapted to move toward the said stationary disk for making an electric contact when the said lever is actuated by windings on the said reel.

4. In a reel stopping device, the combination of a hub and a reel having slots therein, a lever pivoted in the said hub, a movable disk, a statlona-ry disk, the said lever adapted to move the said movable disk towards the said stationary disk, contact members on the said disks, the said contact members adapted urge one end of the said lever upwar a a movable disk actuatedby the lower end of the said lever, another stationary disk, in sulated bushings between the saiddisks, con-- tactsron the said movable disks, a key to prevent the said movable disk from revolving,

a support for the stationary disk and term1- nails on the said disks. I

6. In a reel stopping device in combination, a hub, a reel, a ivoted lever in said hub, a pair of disks a jaeent the said hub, one of the said disks bein movable by the said lever and the other disk being stationary, the said movable disk adapted to make an electric contact with the said-stationary disk when the windin s on the said reel move one end of the said lever towards the center of the said reel;

7. In a record-o-phone in combination, a hub, a reel, a lever pivoted in said hub, a stationary disk, a movable disk, the said lever adapted to move the said movable disk towards the stationary disk when actuated by a wire winding on the said reel and the said lever adapted to release the said movable disk when said wire is removed from contact with the said lever.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature HUGH P. OREILLY. 

